Yoga Poses/Asanas: reclined side bend, supta pandangusthasana/reclined hand to toe pose, keyhole stretch (figure four or thread the needle stretch), gate pose/parighasana, lunge pose/anjaneyasana, forward folding triangle, parsvottanasana, Triangle Pose/Trikonasana, Matseyndrasana/seated spinal twist

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Props Needed: Yoga Mat, Yoga Blocks, wall

Yoga Postures/Asanas: shoulder releases, Locust/Salabhasana, Cobra Building/Bhujangasana, Bridge Pose/Setu Bandhasana, Neck Releases, Shoulderstand/Sarvangasana, Janu Sirsasana/Head Beyond Knee Pose with Neck Releases

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It’s slow going, but soon I’ll have all 200+ classes available on our:

“All YogaYak downloads” page

This effort also gave rise to a new “free membership” side of YogaYak.  This will permit me to better stay in contact with those interested in what we have to offer.

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Yoga Beginners 1/7 – Preparatory Poses -Namaste Yoga #129.
Yoga Beginners 2/7, – Standing Postures – Namaste Yoga #130
Yoga Beginners 3/7, Inversions -Namaste Yoga #131
Yoga Beginners 4/7: Backbends -Namaste Yoga #132
Yoga Beginners 5/7 ~ Twists – Namaste Yoga #133
Yoga Beginners 6/7 -Forward Folds -Namaste Yoga #134
Yoga For Beginners 7/7 – Putting it All Together Namaste Yoga #135
Beginners Yoga Class- Mountain and Tree Pose- Namaste Yoga full episode #153
Yoga for Beginners : Downward Facing Dog  -Namaste Yoga #154
Yoga - Easy Ground Work Hatha Yoga Flow - Full Class ~ Hatha Yoga Flow # 1
Yoga for Beginners - How to do Yoga -Namaste Yoga Episode 101
Yoga for Beginners Two – Namaste Yoga Episode 107

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Props Needed: Yoga Mat and Yoga Strap

Yoga Postures/Asanas: savasana (corpse pose), wrist stretches, supta pandangusthasana (reclined hand to toe pose), Cat Pose (marjaryasana), Puppy (Anahatasana), Eagle’s Arms (Garudasana), Cow’s Face Arms (Gomukasana), Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog and variations, Balasana (Child’s pose)

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Yoga Postures/Asanas: savasana (corpse pose), keyhole stretch (figure four or thread the needle stretch), supta pandangusthasana (reclined hand to toe pose), marjaryasana (Cat Pose), Dandasana (Seated Staff Pose for Foot Series), Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Vrksasana (Tree Pose) , Savasana (corpse pose, final relaxation).

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The post Retained Breath Pranayama – Breathing exercise explained appeared first on YogaYak -free yoga classes online.

Many of us spend too much time sitting in chairs and this adds to the compression of the nerves in the lower spine, sciatica can stop us from doing basics tasks we enjoy and contributes to lost days of work and decreased employee productivity. Individuals who have sciatica are often crippled by it, and are driven to seek relief from conventional medical treatment, alternative therapies, and “miracle” cures. A basic program of yoga, moderate physical exercise and stretching throughout the day go a long way to preventing recurring sciatic pain.

Before starting a yoga program to treat your sciatica, it is important to have an understanding of the cause of your pain. The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the body, running from the lower back down the back of the leg to the foot. Sciatica is a symptom of a problem at some point along the sciatic nerve rather than an ailment in and of itself. Seated forward bends, reclined & supported back bends, spine lengthening asanas and twists are the Rx for sciatic pain at YogaYak.com.

A herniated disc in the back can cause sciatica ; also, spinal stenosis and Piriformis Syndrome. For those with recurring sciatic pain, finding the specific action(s) that cause the pain can be mysterious and elusive. As always, a consistent program of moderate exercise to keep the body fit is the most effective tool against sciatica . The most common cause is a lumbar spine disorder, such as a herniated (slipped) disc in the lower back, or degenerative disc issues: These disorders not only cause lower back pain and stiffness, but compress the sciatic nerve. Disc degeneration is a normal part of aging but need not stop elderly yogis from practicing. Yoga Master B.K.S. Iyengar is still teaching in his 70′s though as a child he was prone to frequent illness; his practice of yoga has fortified his body so much that he is more supple and flexible than many young adults!

Another cause of sciatic pain is Piriformis Syndrome, which is a compression of the piriformis muscle located deep in the muscles of the buttocks under the Gluteus Maximus. When the piriformis becomes tight, it puts pressure on the sciatic nerve as it passes through the buttock. We often experience pain in the piriformis muscle when we have overdone exercise or heavy lifting (e.g., helping your friends move house – great karma yoga but not so good for the Piriformis!) This cause of sciatic pain often causes a sharp pain in the buttock, which is worsened with activities such as squatting and walking. .

When seeking medical treatment for lumbar spine disorders, many patients are told to lie on a firm surface to sleep (such as the floor or a very firm mattress) or are prescribed a back brace to restrict movement in the lower back. These can provide relief, but do not treat the cause of the problem. In extreme cases, doctors may recommend surgery. While surgery can provide relief of pain, it puts restrictions on your future activity level and lifestyle.

There is no guarantee that surgery will provide relief from your back and sciatic pain – it may give you relief initially, but many patients find that over time, their pain returns, often worse than before.
Consultation with both your doctor and your yoga instructor will help you determine the cause of your pain and the course of action required. It is important that you take an active role in your pain maintenance program; you know best what works well for your body. Once you know the cause, you will know which yoga postures can help and you will reduce the need to take any kind of pharmaceutical remedy; however, if your pain remains acute for more than 1-2 days or is so severe that it restricts normal every day activities, consult your doctor or chiropractor.

If your pain is caused by a lumbar spine disorder, asanas to lengthen and straighten the spine should be used (mountain, puppy dog, bound angle). Back bends (bridge, camel, cobra and fish) can also be helpful – if these are difficult for you to perform unaided, modify the poses and use supportive props wherever necessary.
Strengthening your core abdominal muscles is also essential to providing support for your spine and improving your posture – proper alignment will go a long way to avoiding a recurrence of the problem (boat, half boat, twists, reclined Cobblers Pose).

In cases caused by a tight Piriformis muscle, it is necessary to stretch the muscle to relieve the tightness so that it will no longer put pressure on the sciatic nerve. Yoga asanas to treat this type of sciatic pain should include those that will align the spine as outlined above, and those that will stretch the muscles in the hips and buttocks (knee down twist, prayer twist, pigeon, child pose, downward dog).
A combination of yoga asanas and meditation can provide partial to complete relief of sciatic pain.

Deep yogic breathing helps to relax the tight muscles and reduce inflammation. On an psychological level we subconsciously tense up in anticipation of pain, deep breathing reminds us to stop and be in the moment, sending healing prana to the parts of our body that are in distress. Much of Allopathic (Western) Medicine teaches us that we do not have the knowledge to heal our bodies; a combination of Western Medicine and holistic practice can be very effective way to treat the whole person, not merely the condition itself. For many people, a feeling of involvement and control over their healing and health is both inspiring and elevating for the spirit.

Always start out slow, and listen to your body. Do not hold the poses too long if you are experiencing pain and remember that there is no competition in yoga, beginning with yourself. Use props such as a strap and bolster if you need the extra support; you can use a scarf or belt as a strap and a stack of blankets or towels will do as a bolster if you do not have these props. Over time, you can go deeper into the pose, but never, never force yourself, you can make your pain worse by ignoring your body signals. There is no pain in yoga, and in terms of sciatic pain release of the pressure along the nerve is far more important than achieving a more advanced level of any yoga posture.

In addition to your yoga practice, do not sit for long periods, and avoid activities that worsen your pain. If your pain is acute, it is recommended to rest for 1-2 days before beginning your yoga practice and avoid forward bending poses, as these can worsen the pain, and approach side bending poses with caution.

We recommend Easy Groundwork With Diane as a place to begin; this is a mat based flow that gently opens the hips and features gentle twists that are soothing to the spine and bring calm warmth to the body and mind.

Yoga practice can enrich your life in many ways; keeping a supple spine, limber hamstrings and an open pelvis are part of any program to relieve the compression and tension of sciatica. Relax, listen to your body, and enjoy relief from your sciatic pain.

Namaste.

Kimberlily

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We left off our story last week with the reuniting of Shiva and Parvati. When they were re-united, Parvati had some requests of Shiva. Firstly she asked that Kama be brought back to life, forgetting all that happened, so that he could resume his purpose of igniting passion in people’s lives.

Since Shiva was prone to long periods of introverted meditation Parvati asked Shiva to teach her the mysteries of yoga so that she may pass on the knowledge to others. Parvati had a desire to teach those who were dedicated to knowing and serving the truth and so she pleaded to Shiva to instruct her in in the teachings in yoga.

Shiva knew that Parvati had very quickly taken on the teachings with him when she sat with him in meditation only a short time before.



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From the Radiance Sutras:

“One day the Goddess sang to her lover,
Beloved and radiant Lord of the space before birth,
Revealer of essence,
Slayer of the ignorance that binds us,

You who in play have created this universe
And permeated all forms in it with never-ending truth.
I have been wondering…

I have been listening to the hymns of creating,
Enchanted by the verses,
Yet still I am curious,

What is this delight-filled universe
Into which we find ourselves born?
What is this mysterious awareness shimmering
Everywhere within it?

I have been listening to the love songs of
Form longing for formless.

What are these energies
Undulating through our bodies,
Pulsing us into action?

And this “matter” out of which our forms are made -
What are these dancing particles of condensed radiance?

The Goddess then asks,

What is this power we call Life,
Appearing as the play of flesh and breath?
How may I know this mystery and enter it more deeply?

Beloved, my attention is ensnared by a myriad of forms,
Innumerable individual entities everywhere.
Lead me into the wholeness beyond all these parts

You who hold the mysteries in your hand -
Of will, knowledge, and action
Reveal to me the path of illumined knowing

Lead me into joyous union
With the life of the universe
Teach me that I may know it fully
Realize it deeply,
And breathe in the luminous truth of it

The One Who is Intimate to All Beings replies,

Beloved, your questions require the answers that come
Through direct living experience

The way of experience begins with a breath
Such as the breath you are breathing now.
Awakening into luminous reality
May dawn in the momentary throb
Between any two breaths
The breath flow in and just as it turns
To the low out, there is a flash of pure joy -
Life is renewed
Awaken into that

As the breath is released and lows out,
There is a pulse as it turns to flow in.
In that turn, you are empty.
Enter that emptiness as the source of all life…..”

Taken from the first 2 verses of Lorin Roche’s translation of the Radiance Sutras.
Today’s Namaste Yoga will focus on the magic of our breath and releasing the spine and the hips for the beautiful Lord of the Fishes twist, matsyendrasana.

The post Shiva and Yoga -Namaste Yoga 152 Shiva Shares the Teachings of Yoga appeared first on YogaYak -free yoga classes online.

We left off our story last week with the reuniting of Shiva and Parvati. When they were re-united, Parvati had some requests of Shiva. Firstly she asked that Kama be brought back to life, forgetting all that happened, so that he could resume his purpose of igniting passion in people’s lives.

Since Shiva was prone to long periods of introverted meditation Parvati asked Shiva to teach her the mysteries of yoga so that she may pass on the knowledge to others. Parvati had a desire to teach those who were dedicated to knowing and serving the truth and so she pleaded to Shiva to instruct her in in the teachings in yoga.

Shiva knew that Parvati had very quickly taken on the teachings with him when she sat with him in meditation only a short time before.

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From the Radiance Sutras:

“One day the Goddess sang to her lover,
Beloved and radiant Lord of the space before birth,
Revealer of essence,
Slayer of the ignorance that binds us,

You who in play have created this universe
And permeated all forms in it with never-ending truth.
I have been wondering…

I have been listening to the hymns of creating,
Enchanted by the verses,
Yet still I am curious,

What is this delight-filled universe
Into which we find ourselves born?
What is this mysterious awareness shimmering
Everywhere within it?

I have been listening to the love songs of
Form longing for formless.

What are these energies
Undulating through our bodies,
Pulsing us into action?

And this “matter” out of which our forms are made -
What are these dancing particles of condensed radiance?

The Goddess then asks,

What is this power we call Life,
Appearing as the play of flesh and breath?
How may I know this mystery and enter it more deeply?

Beloved, my attention is ensnared by a myriad of forms,
Innumerable individual entities everywhere.
Lead me into the wholeness beyond all these parts

You who hold the mysteries in your hand -
Of will, knowledge, and action
Reveal to me the path of illumined knowing

Lead me into joyous union
With the life of the universe
Teach me that I may know it fully
Realize it deeply,
And breathe in the luminous truth of it

The One Who is Intimate to All Beings replies,

Beloved, your questions require the answers that come
Through direct living experience

The way of experience begins with a breath
Such as the breath you are breathing now.
Awakening into luminous reality
May dawn in the momentary throb
Between any two breaths
The breath flow in and just as it turns
To the low out, there is a flash of pure joy -
Life is renewed
Awaken into that

As the breath is released and lows out,
There is a pulse as it turns to flow in.
In that turn, you are empty.
Enter that emptiness as the source of all life…..”

Taken from the first 2 verses of Lorin Roche’s translation of the Radiance Sutras.
Today’s Namaste Yoga will focus on the magic of our breath and releasing the spine and the hips for the beautiful Lord of the Fishes twist, matsyendrasana.

The post Shiva Lets Go Little by Little, Namaste Yoga 151 appeared first on YogaYak -free yoga classes online.